April 10 (UPI) — Nationals Park has been turned into a food production and distribution center to feed hungry people in need during the coronavirus pandemic.
Major League Baseball’s Washington Nationals would have been playing the Miami Marlins Wednesday if the season hadn’t been suspended because of the pandemic.
Now, the team and its philanthropic arm, Nationals Philanthropies, have partnered with Chef Jose Andres and his nonprofit World Central Kitchen to provide food for those in need.
Among those being served are seniors, struggling families and public housing residents.
“Yesterday, the first day of partnership, 1,000 meals were produced and distributed,” Nationals Owner Mark Lerner wrote in a letter to fans published in a blog Wednesday. “Once fully ramped up, the operation at Nationals Park plans to produce tens of thousands of free meals each day.”
Lerner also commented on the partnership with Andres’ World Central Kitchen, which is serving 100,000 meals a day in 30 cities nationwide as millions have lost jobs as businesses closed due to the pandemic.
“It has been a true pleasure for our team to work with Chef Jose Andres and his team,” Lerner wrote. “They are making tremendous contributions throughout the world, but with their headquarters located in downtown D.C., we can claim them as our own hometown heroes.”
In 2017, the World Central Kitchen used a coliseum in Puerto Rico as a place to cook food for thousands without food after damage from Hurricane Maria blacked out the island.
